Someone Worth Dying For
by Anuket
Summary: Draco and Hermione are in their seventh year, and they have to share a common room. Lots of insults, kissing, humor, action, a little bit of angst, and, of course, D/HR! *FINISHED*
1. Chapter One

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket 

Disclaimer: Miss JK Rowling owns all the settings, characters, and situations you recognize from the _Harry Potter _books. The plot belongs to _moi. _No money is being made; therefore no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Is that good enough for you, Mr. Lawyer?

A/N: I know there are lots of Head Boy-and-Head Girl-sharing-a-common-room fics out there, starring everyone's favorite controversial couple, Draco and Hermione, but this story is different from others of its ilk in terms of perspective, writing style, and other smart-sounding nouns that I can't come up with right now =D. Constructive criticism and lavish praise--- if I actually get those, although I doubt it--- are very much welcome. Flames will be laughed at… and, yes, I _do _know the difference between constructive criticism and flames ^_~.

Here is the first chapter. Don't forget to review!

Chapter One

_My last train ride to school, _Draco Malfoy thought as he boarded the Hogwarts Express. _Not that I'm _sad _about it or anything._

On the contrary, he couldn't wait for seventh year to be over… and it hadn't even begun yet! When he graduated, he would be initiated into Death Eater ranks. His bluish-gray eyes gleamed with excitement as he thought of how his greatest dream would finally be fulfilled.

Draco looked around for Crabbe and Goyle before he remembered that he wasn't supposed to sit with them anymore. He was now Head Boy, much to his father's delight, and he had a special compartment waiting for him, a compartment he would share with the Head Girl, who was…

_Well, of _course _it's Granger, _he said to himself as he made his way to the front of the train. _Honestly, it doesn't take a genius to figure _that _out. I knew it even before I got my letter. _He scowled, wondering how he could possibly stomach staying in the same compartment with the filthy Mudblood.

"How can I possibly stomach staying in the same compartment with an arrogant, cold-blooded git such as Draco Malfoy?" Hermione Granger asked Crookshanks. The enormous ginger cat purred softly as it curled around her lap.

"I was surprised to find out he was Head Boy, you know," she murmured, stroking Crookshanks' thick and fluffy fur. She laughed softly. "I mean, they really expect me to share a common room with him? We'd probably kill each other."

"So you're talking to animals now, Granger?" drawled a very familiar sneering voice.

Hermione looked up, startled. She hadn't noticed the door to the compartment slide open. "It's none of your business, Malf---" She stopped. And stared.

The guy standing in the entrance was tall and lean, and devastatingly handsome. It _couldn't _be Malfoy… but it was. There was no mistaking that slicked-back platinum blonde hair, those cool bluish-gray eyes, that condescending smirk.

Oh my God! When did the scrawny little ferret become the most desirable human being on the face of the planet? I must be hallucinating!

And so she asked, just to be sure, "Malfoy?"

"Granger?"

Was it just her, or did he sound a little uncertain, too?

Draco was helpless to do anything but look at the drop-dead gorgeous girl with the monstrosity of a cat in her lap. She was slim and curvy, and her wavy honey-colored hair fell neatly past her shoulders. For a while he actually thought he'd stumbled into the wrong compartment, but that was before he noticed a hint of resemblance, a nagging reminder of the plain, unattractive girl with bushy hair and huge front teeth, whom he'd teased mercilessly over the past years. Amazing how two months had changed her into a total knockout!

She was staring at him as if she'd just drunk a bottle of Confusing Concoction. Draco realized he must have looked just as idiotic, and quickly willed his self-control and legendary calm to return to him.

He took a deep breath and sat on the velvet couch across her. The… thing on her lap took one look at him and began hissing madly.

"I don't think your cat likes me very much," he said, eyeing it with disdain.

Hermione seemed to have regained her senses. "Well, who can blame it?" she snapped at him.

Quick as a flash, Crookshanks jumped from its place and bounded out of the compartment. Draco pointed his wand and muttered a spell, and the door slid shut all by itself.

"And I thought I was irresistible to all females," he remarked lightly.

"You thought wrong. And Crookshanks is a _boy."_

Draco shrugged, not giving a damn. "Oh, well, there's always the chance he's gay."

She glared at him.

He cocked an eyebrow and smirked at her.

They were silent for what seemed like hours. What was there to stay, after all? Trading insults would only tire them out.

After a while Hermione realized they must be nearing Hogwarts by now. "I'm going to change into my robes," she announced loudly.

"Go ahead. No one's stopping you."

"You are a dim-witted creep."

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"Isn't it obvious? Get out!"

"No way," said Draco stubbornly. "This also happens to be my compartment. I'm not leaving just because you think you're entitled to some privacy. In fact, I think I'll change, too." He stood up, his eyes glittering with mischief.

Hermione paled. "Why don't you go out and wait for me to finish changing, then I'll go out and you can change in peace?"

"Me first, then."

She could see, from the determined tilt of his chin, that he was intent on getting his way. A pity, because so was she. "I'm giving you three seconds to get out of here."

Draco snorted. "Oh, yeah, and you're going to pick me up by my collar and throw me out with your bare hands. I'd like to see you try, Mudblood."

It was the word _Mudblood _that did it. Throwing caution to the winds, Hermione pointed her wand straight at his chest and yelled, _"Treius ynatoma!"_

The next thing Draco knew, the door slid open, and he was blasted out of the compartment by some invisible force. The laughter and chatter of the students in the aisle died down and they stared at him. The door shut and he heard a click, as if a lock had been turned.

"Damn it!" he growled, getting to his feet. He tried to open the door, but Hermione had sealed it with some sort of Locking Spell. God, he _hated _it when that girl got the best of him!

A/N: In the next chapter, Draco and Hermione are shown their common room. After a fight over the password and Ron, Draco tells Hermione two things--- one that leaves her deliriously happy, and another that leaves her supremely mystified. Until next time, folks! ü


	2. Chapter Two

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket 

Disclaimer: Miss JK Rowling owns all the settings, characters, and situations you recognize from the _Harry Potter _books. The plot belongs to _moi. _No money is being made; therefore no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Is that good enough for you, Mr. Lawyer?

A/N: Wow, two chapters in one day. That's a record… for me, at least. Feel free to correct any errors and tell me what you think. In other words, review!

Chapter Two

The feast was over and Professor McGonagall was leading Draco and Hermione to their rooms.

"Professor, can't we just sleep in our own houses?" Hermione asked almost desperately. She didn't think she could bear seeing Malfoy's smirking face every morning after she woke up and every night before she went to bed.

"Certainly not, Miss Granger," said McGonagall, raising an eyebrow. "What's the use of being Head Boy and Girl if you can't have your own private quarters? It's a special privilege reserved for the top two students of the school."

Hermione sighed.

"No need to look so depressed, Mudblood," a voice whispered in her ear. "I'm pretty easy to live with."

"Ugh! Get off!" she exclaimed, giving Draco a hard shove. He laughed meanly as she tried to calm her wildly beating heart. He had been so close to her…

"This is the entrance to your common room," McGonagall announced, stopping in front of a colorful tapestry on the wall. "What do you want the password to be?"

"What about _Insufferable Know-it-all?" _suggested Draco innocently.

_I hate him. _"Or what about _The Amazing Bouncing Ferret?"_

McGonagall looked at them disapprovingly, her beady eyes gleaming. "Excellent! Then it shall be… _Know-it-all Ferret!" _No sooner had she spoken the words when the section of wall with the tapestry on it swung open to reveal the most beautiful room Hermione had ever seen in her entire life. A polished round table, two brocaded silk armchairs, and a matching couch were carefully arranged in front of a cheery fireplace. The floor was covered entirely in an exquisite carpet woven from silk and angora. On the wall were two portraits, one of a woman who bore a striking resemblance to the Fat Lady of Gryffindor Tower, and the other of a chubby, pompous gentleman--- King Henry VIII.

"The paintings lead to your respective bedrooms," McGonagall informed them. "I trust you don't need to know which is which. Just tell them what you want your password to be. I'll leave the two of you now to get settled in. Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" Giving them both a tight-lipped smile, she walked out of the common room. The entrance closed when she left.

Hermione couldn't resist glancing at Draco to see if he was as astonished at the beauty of the room as she was. He merely looked bored.

"Why are you so impressed, Granger?" he sneered, cocking an eyebrow. "Never seen places like this before? And I thought the Weasleys are the only ones who don't know the meaning of the word _luxury."_

"We can't all be as filthy rich as you are!" she snapped, her cheeks flushing red with rage. "Ron may be poor, but at least he's got values and principles! Not like you, you lying, cheating, conceited scum---"

"You look gorgeous when you're angry."

"W---what?" she spluttered, gaping at him. _Did Malfoy just tell me I was gorgeous? Maybe I ate too much of those éclairs at dinner and now I'm having strange dreams!_

He smirked at her. "You've changed a lot over the past two months, Granger. I never would have believed… Well, let me just say you turned out far better than I expected."

Her head was spinning and the thought, _He thinks I'm gorgeous! _sunk into her mind and repeated itself over and over again, making her deliriously happy. She gave herself a mental slap. Had she gone nuts? He had just insulted one of her dearest friends and she was positively jumping up and down with joy because he said she was gorgeous! _Shame on you, Hermione._

"And you, Malfoy, haven't changed a bit," she declared. "You're still an arrogant, self-centered, spoiled brat who needs bodyguards to protect him and fight his battles for him!"

Suddenly, Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him. She was too shocked to even make a sound of protest. Their faces were only a few inches apart, and his pale gray eyes had darkened with cold fury.

"I wouldn't bet on that." His voice was soft but deadly, menacing, and it sent shivers down her spine. "You may not have noticed it yet, but I've changed even more than you have. I've changed more than anyone else in this bloody school. Ask the other Slytherins. They know how changed I've become. They saw it with their own eyes."

He roughly pushed her away from him and stalked to the portrait of King Henry the VIII. "My password is _Mudblood Granger!" _he said with an evil glare in her direction. The painting swung open and Draco stepped inside.

"Pleasant dreams," he said sarcastically. The portrait shut behind him.

_What was that all about? _Hermione wondered. _Why in the bloody blue blazes did he get so upset? Funny, I thought it would take more than that to get to his nerves! And what did he mean by, "Ask the other Slytherins?" _What _did they see with their own eyes?_

Okay, now that she was all alone, she could be completely honest with herself. Malfoy _had _changed. Physically, at least. He really wasn't a scrawny little git anymore. He'd grown taller and filled out rather well--- excellently, in fact. And he was so handsome, even when he was being an asshole. The perpetually haughty expression on his face, which used to irritate her so much, now served to increase his appeal.

_But that doesn't mean he's transformed into a better person! _Hermione's logical inner voice screamed at her. _Hello! His password is Mudblood Granger!_

She stiffened and marched up to the painting of the woman. "Are you, by any chance, related to the Fat Lady?"

"Oh, yes," the woman said with a smile and a nod. "She's my sister. We were painted in the same year, by the same artist. You may call me Victoria. Now, darling, what's your password?"

Hermione didn't take long in her decision. _"Malfoy the Ferret!" _she answered promptly.

"All right. Have a good night's rest. You'll need it for your first day of school tomorrow," counseled Victoria as she swung open.

Hermione entered and was pleased at what she saw--- a spacious room with scarlet-and-gold curtains, a dressing table and a chair, and an embroidered rug at the foot of a four-poster bed. Crookshanks was already there, nestling comfortably among the pillows. As soon as it saw Hermione, it jumped off and curled up on the rug.

"Good boy," Hermione murmured with a small smile, a smile that faded instantly as she thought again about Malfoy, that irritating git. He had less character than her bloody cat! At least Crookshanks showed her _some _respect.

A/N: In the next chapter, due to certain circumstances, Draco carries Hermione to the hospital room. Wouldn't want to miss that, would you? ^_^ Bye!


	3. Chapter Three

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket 

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Miss JK Rowling owns all the settings, characters, and situations you recognize from the _Harry Potter _books. The plot belongs to _moi. _No money is being made; therefore no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Is that good enough for you, Mr. Lawyer?

A/N: Thank you to all the cool people who reviewed, namely pinkpotatoe, handen, RedHot911, 'div (a song is a nice idea, but I'm afraid I haven't quite mastered the art of writing a songfic yet ^_^), KittyKat589, Jen-Jen, Rhia, envision, luvs2party, Anon, kat, ScRibBLrOfDrEaMs, brightevenstar, fierydragn, iljm, Cutiepie99, sweetangel6749, and Enter the Red Age.

Keep those reviews coming! And remember that I am always open to constructive criticism and suggestions.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Draco woke up in a foul mood. He was still smarting from Hermione's comment the night before--- spoiled brat, indeed! Voldemort had taught him how to fight and defend himself. He didn't need Crabbe and Goyle to protect him anymore.

He slid out of bed and winced as he felt the dull ache of the scars on his back. It was amazing how they still hurt even though they were weeks old. The Dark Lord was definitely very powerful.

_And soon he'll be sharing that power with me, _Draco thought with a satisfied smirk. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table, and his eyebrows raised in alarm. It was almost eleven! He'd missed breakfast and Potions, and if he didn't hurry up, he'd be late for Charms. Normally, he wouldn't care about stuff like that, but he and the other Slytherins had agreed that it was high time they won the House Cup. He couldn't afford to lose any points.

Swearing under his breath, Draco hastily pulled on his robes and fixed his hair. He slipped his wand into his left pocket, grabbed his bag, and practically tore out of the room.

"Do be more careful, lad!" Henry VIII called out. "You almost ran right through me!"

As he raced down the corridors, it occurred to him that he was acting very out of character. Draco Malfoy, as the world knew him, did not run. But since the hallways were deserted, he figured he could get away with it just this once.

He picked up speed and turned a corner--- and crashed into someone who happened to have been making a mad dash for Transfiguration. The next thing he knew, he was sprawled out on top of a warm, soft body, engulfed in a fresh, floral scent that almost made his head spin.

Draco looked down into a pair of startled, chocolate brown eyes.

"Can't you watch where you're going, Granger?" he demanded, getting to his feet. "I didn't know Mudbloods were so blind."

Hermione glared up at him. "What the heck are you blaming me for? _You _were running."

"So were you. Don't even bother denying it."

"I hate you!" she snapped, struggling to get up.

Surprisingly enough, he was hurt by what she said. It mystified him, because she was just a filthy little Muggle-born and he didn't give a damn about whether she hated him or not. Or did he?

Hermione finally stood up, and then he heard a sharp intake of breath, saw a look of excruciating pain flash on her beautiful face, before she crumpled to the ground.

"Are you hurt?" _Wait a minute, did I just say that? Did I actually sound… concerned? God forbid._

"Obviously! I think my ankle's sprained."

He knelt down beside her and examined her foot. Her ankle was bruised and swollen, and he felt strangely guilty for bumping into her and causing her to hurt like this. But he didn't show it, of course. "Come on, I've got to take you to the hospital wing."

"But it's the first day of school!" protested Hermione. "I don't want to miss Transfiguration!"

He decided she was crazy. "Granger, the Transfiguration classroom is near the top of the building. Your ankle's sprained. You can't even walk, much less climb a dozen staircases."

"Well then, Mr. Know-it-all, how can I possibly get to the hospital wing if I can't walk?"

It was the contempt in her tone, the challenge that blazed in her eyes, that made him do what he did next. Ignoring her squeal of protest, Draco reached out and lifted her up in his arms.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Hermione exclaimed. "Put me down this instant!" she pummeled his broad chest with her fists, but only in a half-hearted kind of way, because it felt so nice to be this close to him. He smelled vaguely of peppermint.

Draco said nothing as he carried Hermione up to the hospital wing. He couldn't believe he was doing this, helping out one of the Gryffin_dorks. _If the Slytherins could see him now, they would probably kick him out of his House.

Yeah, right. As if they would dare to do that.

_Granger weighs no more than a feather, _he thought to himself. He was exaggerating, of course, but she was very light. She seemed to fit against him perfectly. She was also very beautiful.

Too bad she was as irritating as hell.

"What about my books?" Hermione asked. "I can't just _leave _them there, lying around."

He resisted the urge to throw her out a window and go to Charms. "In case you hadn't noticed, I left my books, too."

"Well, that's your problem if you don't care about your books, but _I _happen to care about _mine."_

"I'll return them to you," he promised, just to shut her up.

"When?"

"After you see Madame Pomfrey. God damn it, Granger, they're just _books!"_

She was silent for a while, and then she reprimanded him mildly, "It's not good to swear, Malfoy."

He gritted his teeth and almost did throw her out a window. "I'll swear whenever I want to, filthy Mudblood, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

_He called me a Mudblood again! _Hermione seethed, still feeling the familiar pain at the insult. Malfoy didn't have a shred of humanity in him…

_Then why is he helping you? Carrying you to the hospital wing? _questioned some illogical side of her. _Maybe there's something in him after all, something good and decent. Something human._

_Something you can love._

Hermione's eyes widened and she almost slapped herself. Where had _that _thought come from? She certainly wasn't going to go falling for Malfoy. There was absolutely nothing lovable about him! Okay, so he was immensely handsome. He had the most wonderful eyes in the world, bluish-gray like the sky on a cold winter day, and as hard as stone. He smelled nice and was well-groomed, unlike some boys who couldn't even bother to comb their hair. And she was sure he had a great body, even if she hadn't seen it yet…

_Hermione Granger! You shouldn't be thinking that sort of thing! _She blushed furiously, appalled at herself.

As soon as Draco entered the hospital wing with Hermione in his arms, Madame Pomfrey looked as if she was about to have a heart attack. "Quick, take her there," ordered the nurse, indicating the nearest bed. It was the first day of school, and none of the other students had met with any serious accidents yet, which was why the infirmary was empty.

Draco laid Hermione down on the bed and stepped back. He was strangely sorry to have done so. It had felt so nice to hold her…

_You've gone mental, _he scolded himself. _You should go ask Madame Pomfrey if she has a cure for insanity._

"What happened?" the nurse asked.

"I sprained my ankle," replied Hermione. "Malfoy bumped into me."

"I did not! You were the one who bumped into me!"

"Not true!"

"Liar!"

"Pig!"

"Bi---"

"That's enough!" Madame Pomfrey burst out before Draco called Hermione a word that was infinitely worse than Mudblood, and before she ended up treating more than a sprained ankle. The two top students of the school looked ready to jump at each other's throats. "I'll just apply some of my special ointment, Miss Granger, and your ankle will be as good as new in a matter of minutes. Now, Mister Malfoy, I suggest you skedaddle off to class… unless there's anything else you need me to help you with?"

Draco almost asked her if she had a cure for insanity, but caught himself just in time and shook his head.

His black robes swirled around him as he turned to leave. Hermione was seized by a ridiculous longing not to see him go. "Wait, what about my books?" she yelled after him.

He didn't reply, merely snapped his fingers and a pile of heavy textbooks appeared at the foot of her bed. She stared at them in amazement, and then she heard the door slam shut and realized Draco was gone.

_And I didn't even get the chance to thank him, _she thought regretfully, biting her lower lip.

A/N: How did you like that? Love is in the air, isn't it? Pity our two main characters haven't realized it yet… Anyway, in the next chapter, Draco asks Hermione for help with his homework and something _almost _happens. But that's not all… Hermione also catches Draco without his shirt on!

Until the next installment, guys! ;-)


	4. Chapter Four

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket 

Disclaimer: Miss JK Rowling owns all the settings, characters, and situations you recognize from the _Harry Potter _books. The plot belongs to _moi. _No money is being made; therefore no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Is that good enough for you, Mr. Lawyer?

A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank those who reviewed the previous chapter, namely 'div (I update frequently, not just once a week), Allison, RedHot911 (welcome to the world of Draco worshippers… *evil grin*), Cutiepie99, Aindel, sweetangel6749 (don't we all… sigh…), Hermione Double, BrightEvenstar, and luvs2party. You guys are the best!

Second, I really don't know what Arithmancy is, but judging from its name, I think it has something to do with Math.

On to the next chapter… and don't forget to leave a review, okay? ^_^

Chapter Four

Draco and Hermione had now come to some sort of unspoken truce. They acted civil to each other and had stopped exchanging insults. He no longer called her a Mudblood. She no longer told him what an arrogant git he was. But there was no warmth between them. None at all.

One night, Hermione was doing her homework in front of the blazing fire in the common room, when Henry VIII swung open and Draco stepped out, carrying a piece of parchment, a quill, and his Arithmancy textbook.

"Do you… have a moment?" he asked her tentatively.

"For what?"

"I, uh, need some help with Arithmancy. See, there's this problem I can't figure out." He said the words in a rush.

Hermione's eyes almost popped out of her head. The high and mighty Draco Malfoy was asking her for help? _That's it. The world is coming to an end._

She tilted her head, a signal for him to come over. He sat down beside her on the couch. Her heart raced and her head spun madly as his thigh pressed against hers. _God, what is it about him that makes me feel like this? _she silently wondered.

Draco opened the Arithmancy book and placed it on her lap. "This one. The very first."

Hermione wrinkled her brow as she studied the problem intently. It was a bit difficult to concentrate, though, since he was so close and she smelled his fascinating peppermint scent every time she inhaled. She was overwhelmed by the urge to push him away… and by the desire to embrace him.

She gritted her teeth and willed herself to focus. Finally, she was able to understand the problem.

"This one's quite simple to solve, really," she told him, "but the question is phrased in a different way."

"Oh." He bent down to take a closer look at the problem. As he did so, a strand of his platinum blonde hair fell into his eyes. She fought the temptation to brush it back to its place, and immersed herself in explaining the problem and the solution to him. When she was finished, he looked at her and their eyes met, and wonder of all wonders, he smiled. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. Her heart did a quick somersault.

She hadn't expected Malfoy would known how to smile. Or that he would look utterly captivating when he did so.

"I never would've figured it out if it weren't for you," said Draco in a soft voice.

"Oh, I'm sure you would have… eventually."

"Like in a million years."

She laughed, and he knew he would forever remember this night as the first time he made Hermione Granger laugh. The firelight was reflected in her honey-colored hair and gave a soft glow to her features. She looked beautiful.

His gaze slid to her perfectly-shaped lips, and he was suddenly overcome by a strong, potent desire to kiss her. He leaned closer until their noses were almost touching. She appeared surprised and a bit frightened, and then she closed her eyes, waiting expectantly. His heart beat a little harder. So she wanted this too, as much as he did…

"ACHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOO!!!"

Hermione's eyes flew open and Draco immediately jumped up from the couch as if he'd been scalded. The magic of the moment was broken, never to return. Broken by…

"I'm so sorry, my dear chaps," Henry VIII apologized profusely. "I have a bit of a cold. Nothing to worry about, though, I'll be good as new in a few days. Oh, my, I hope I didn't disturb you."

Victoria, the Fat Lady's sister, was glaring at the king as if she wanted to murder him.

The portraits had been watching them! With this realization, Draco came crashing back down to the real world. He had been about to kiss a Mudblood! Not just an ordinary Mudblood, but Hermione Granger, the girl he'd hated for years, the girl he'd played countless pranks on and teased mercilessly…

The girl who would be one of the first to die when the Dark Lord returned to power.

He felt sick to his stomach. "Thanks for helping me with Arithmancy," he mumbled, grabbing his things and going back to his room, as far from her as was possible.

When Hermione awoke the next morning, her room was filled with sunshine. She sat up in bed and blinked sleepily. Last night's events came rushing back to her in a flood. Draco had almost kissed her… and she had wanted him to!

_I obviously wasn't thinking clearly last night, _she thought, disgusted with herself. But there had been something about the way he looked, his sharp features softened by the firelight, his smile… the first genuine, albeit small, smile she had ever seen from him… _All right, stop it._

She glanced at the clock and realized it was seven-thirty in the morning and that she had one hour to go before breakfast was served. She slid out of bed and went over to the mini-bookshelf fastened to the wall. Her eager eyes swept over the titles, searching for something interesting to read.

One book caught her attention. It was small and black, embossed with the words _A History of Lemon Drops _in fancy gold lettering. Curious as to why anyone would bother writing about the origins of a Muggle sweet, she reached up and attempted to pull the book from the shelf.

There was a loud, creaking sound, and suddenly the shelf sunk down to the floor and disappeared. Hermione found herself staring into another room much like her own. _A secret passageway! _she marveled. _Wicked! _She stepped inside and looked around, wondering where she was. And then…

"Granger! What the bloody _hell _are you doing in here?!"

_Oh. My. God._

Malfoy stood next to his bed, which was pressed to the other side of the room, so she hadn't seen him at first, gazing at her in total bewilderment. His blonde hair was charmingly tousled, and he was holding a clean white shirt. And he was naked from the waist up.

_Oh. My. God._

A/N: That's all for now! (dodges various hard objects being thrown at her) I'll post Chapter Five as soon as I can! Next installment: Draco's reaction to Hermione seeing him shirtless, Hermione discovers something worth knowing, and… gasp… the first kiss. Hehehe… See you next time! ^_~


	5. Chapter Five

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket 

Disclaimer: Miss JK Rowling owns all the settings, characters, and situations you recognize from the _Harry Potter _books. The plot belongs to _moi. _No money is being made; therefore no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Is that good enough for you, Mr. Lawyer?

A/N: Wow, I'm amazed by the feedback this story has received! Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers--- kat, T-Aye-Ki, sailorplushie, Dracos Gurl, Milk, Lizzy, cherie, Aindel, excited, Allison, Cutiepie99, luvs2party, RedHot911, Elventeen, DiOsA4u, Amerz, MuseQ, beckie13, SotMoon, Pamela (If you give me your e-mail address, I'd be happy to send you the URL of some pretty good D/Hr fics ^_^), Camryndale (Hmm… interesting idea… I'll think about it… I can't make any promises, though), WriterFan, and Sim.

Okay, um, judging from the reviews and the various solid objects Aindel threw at me ^_~, most of you weren't too happy about that cliffhanger. And so, to make up for that, this chapter will be extra-long. Don't forget to tell me what you think!

Chapter Five

Draco's first instinct was to kick the girl out. His second instinct was to kiss her. She looked so adorable, standing there in her pajamas, her uncombed hair tumbling in wild, unruly curls past her shoulders. Her chocolate brown eyes had widened until they were too big for her face, and her mouth was hanging open.

He realized he hadn't put on his shirt. "Like what you see?" he taunted her with a smirk.

She blushed furiously. "I, uh, didn't mean… I just saw the book and… secret passageway… came from there… my room… and…" She trailed off.

"Huh?"

"Oh, never mind!" Hermione burst out, still flustered. "I'm sorry I… well, I'm leaving now!" She turned to go, but the bookshelf suddenly appeared again and she was left staring at a solid wall. She ran her hands frantically over it, apparently looking for a spring or a knob that would open the secret passageway, but when she found nothing, she whirled back to face him, looking desperate. And gorgeous.

Draco yawned. "You can go through the portrait hole. It's over there." He jerked his head in the direction of the portrait hole, then turned away from her, intent on fixing his bed.

Her scream was so loud that he wouldn't be surprised if everyone in Hogwarts heard it. "MALFOY, WHAT IN THE BLOODY BLUE BLAZES HAPPENED TO YOUR BACK?"

"Damn," he swore softly.

The pale skin on his back was crisscrossed with scars. Most were just barely noticeable marks, but some had obviously been deep gashes. And there was a particularly horrid-looking one that started from his right shoulder blade and ended at a point near his waist.

Hermione felt like crying. No one deserved to be scarred like that, to endure so much pain… no one… not even her worst enemy. "What happened to your back?" she asked again, sounding shaky, but a little bit calmer.

"It's none of your business," Draco told her coolly as he faced her again, putting on his shirt in one swift motion. "Now get out."

"Tell me."

"No."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me."

"The hell you aren't. _Get out, Mudblood."_

"I need to know," she almost wailed, her brown eyes filling with tears.

Draco swore again and sat down. He took a deep breath and fixed his cool bluish-gray eyes on her. In a voice totally devoid of emotion, he said, "I got them from Lord Voldemort."

Hermione gasped. "You-Know-Who attacked you? But…" She stopped, for he was shaking his head.

"No, Granger. He trained me in the use of Dark curses last summer, along with the other Slytherins. We had numerous practice fights. He beat me every time, of course, but he said I was getting quite good." There was now a certain hint of pride in his tone, and it made Hermione sick.

"Why is he training you?"

"Father is his right-hand man. I'm going to become a Death Eater when I graduate," he replied smugly.

Her mind was a muddle of confused thoughts, but she knew what she had to do. "I'm telling Dumbledore."

His eyes narrowed. "Over my dead body," he growled in a low voice.

"You can't work for the Dark Lord! He's, well, he's evil!"

"And you're saying _I'm _not?"

"No, Malfoy," she said softly. "You're not evil. Mean, thoughtless, sometimes cruel, maybe, but definitely not evil. Why do you want to be his servant, anyway?"

The inquiry drew him up short. Why _did _he want to work for Voldemort? Draco frowned. He hadn't really taken the time to think about it. His father had instilled in him a deep, abiding loyalty to the Dark Side, and he had always known he would be a Death Eater when he grew up. He never once thought of questioning his fate.

"I'm waiting, Malfoy."

"For the last time, Mudblood, it's none of your business!" Draco snapped. "Get out of here before I _make you get out."_

She burst into tears. He simply stared at her, dumbstruck and utterly helpless. Damn it, he'd never seen Hermione cry before.

She covered her face with her hands "It's just that--- I don't want to see you hurt---" she choked out between sobs. "Your scars---"

A storm of mixed emotions welled up inside him. Before he could even think about what he was doing, he walked over to her and took her in his arms.

Hermione knew this was totally screwed up, that she shouldn't be sobbing like crazy, but she couldn't help it. She buried her face in Draco's chest, feeling the beating of his heart beneath her cheek.

"Don't cry," he whispered in a rough, unsteady voice. "I'm not worth crying for."

She sniffed and gazed up at him. His bluish-gray eyes had softened with some unnamed emotion. He took another deep breath, then leaned down and captured her mouth with his own.

It was the most beautiful kiss she had ever experienced. Soft, comforting, infinitely gentle. She hadn't known Draco Malfoy could be capable of such tenderness. He cupped her chin with his hand, lightly stroking her cheek with his hand as he deepened the kiss. A million butterflies raced through her veins as his lips moved so sweetly and sensually over hers, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her closer until there was no more space between them. She knew she shouldn't be doing this… this was wrong… but why did it feel so right, so perfect?

Draco suddenly jerked away from her. His eyes had darkened into a steely gray color, but his face was completely emotionless. How could he look so unaffected? Hermione's heart was beating rapidly, and her breath came out in ragged gasps.

"Get the hell out of here, Hermione," he ordered. "And if you tell anyone about this, I will kill you."

There was nothing else she could do. She rushed out of the room and went back to her own quarters, throwing herself on her bed and burying her face in the pillow. A lump rose in her throat, but she was determined not to cry. She couldn't let Draco affect her ever again. _He isn't worth it, he isn't worth it, _she silently repeated over and over again. He was a cold-hearted git, all right, kissing her and then telling her to leave and making death threats.

And then she remembered that, for the first time ever, he had called her Hermione. It was absurd, but it made her smile, if only just a little.

"I can't believe we're having another Yule Ball!" Ron Weasley exclaimed. It was already December, four days until Christmas. "The last one was a disaster, don't you think?"

Harry Potter nodded emphatically. "Who are you taking?"

Ron glanced at Hermione. The three of them were walking down the stairs to Potions class. "Hermione, would you--- I mean, you know---"

Hermione frowned at him. "Would I what?"

"Do you want to go the ball with me?"

She didn't know what to say. The truth of the matter was, she wanted Draco to be her date, but there was no chance of that ever happening. After that kiss, they had avoided each other like the plague, which was pretty hard to do since they shared a common room.

_He's probably taking Pansy, _she thought dully. Pansy Parkinson, that ugly Slytherin girl who was infatuated with him.

"Um, Hermione, I think Ron asked you something?"

"What? Oh." Hermione blinked at Harry, and then she smiled at Ron. "Sure, I'd like to go to the ball with you."

The redhead grinned at her. "It's all set, then." He looked at Harry. "I suppose you're taking Parvati again?"

Harry shook his head. "Not a chance. She's pretty and all that, but I don't think she'd want to go with me after what happened at the last Yule Ball… I was thinking of taking Ginny, actually."

"You're joking!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione couldn't stop herself from giggling, because Ginny Weasley had recently confided in her that she was in love with Harry.

"No, I'm not," Harry replied. "In fact, I'm asking her tonight."

_Oh, well, _Hermione thought with a wistful sight. _At least _some _people's love lives are working out._

"For the last time, Pansy, I am not taking you to the Yule Ball," Draco said as calmly as was possible. They were in the dungeons, waiting for Professor Snape.

"Why not?" whined Pansy. "Please…"

Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering. Draco shot them dirty looks. He opened his mouth to explain why, starting with the reason that she was as ugly as a bulldog, but then he happened to see Hermione, flanked by Potter and Weasley, enter the room.

He wanted Hermione to be his date. There was no denying it. But… Draco Malfoy, go out with a Mudblood? His father would roast him alive. The Dark Lord would be displeased and probably punish him. _No, _he thought, shaking his head ever so slightly, _I can't ask her to be my date._

But he wanted to. He really, really wanted to.

A/N: In the next chapter, Hermione accidentally reveals her feelings about Draco to some other girls, and… the Yule Ball! A night of gaiety and dancing… and Draco wants to dance with Hermione… Bye for now! ü


	6. Chapter Six

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket

Disclaimer: Miss JK Rowling owns all the settings, characters, and situations you recognize from the _Harry Potter _books. The plot belongs to _moi. _No money is being made; therefore no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Is that good enough for you, Mr. Lawyer?

A/N: I AM SO SORRY, YOU GUYS. I know it's been a very long time since I've last updated, but that's because I've been away on vacation. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!

I'd like to thank the following people for their reviews… ILUVFFS, also known as Allison, who actually sent me an e-mail to tell me how much she liked my fic… T-Aye-Ki, pinked, CurlyGurly… Ebony River, thanks for the constructive criticism, but I won't be providing any descriptions of the other rooms because there aren't any scenes involving them--- but I really appreciate knowing what you think… delila-malfoy, melissa, Aindel (I love chocolate! Thanks! *big kiss*), Amerz, lithy, Crystalline Lily, Miss Moony aka Draco's Queen, luvs2party, Dreaming One (Henry VIII sneezed by accident; he isn't evil), 'div (you haven't seen anythin' yet! Ü). casper, cherie, CutiePie99, sweetangel6749, jessica c. bebe, sabriel14, Herogirl, bec, hyper_shark, BosnianChick719, sakura angel90, Camryndale, SotMoon, Elventeen, RedHot911, Crammer-sama, Elisha, Amelie, Nisajira, beckie, becca (who actually e-mailed me to continue the story ^_^), and Kayt. I love you guys, and if I left anyone out, I'm sorry. The number of messages I received when I opened my inbox after a long Internet-free vacation was actually kind of frightening.

Hi also to my friends J-me and Alexie, who reviewed this story! J-me, ka obvious gid sang imo na username. Kapal sa imo, gina advertise mo pa poem mo! Pati ah… xD

Again, let me apologize for keeping all of you waiting for so long! I hope the next chapter makes up for it…

OH, before I forget, kudos to January, who added my story to her website! ()

Don't forget to leave a review on your way out, okay? ^_~

Chapter Six

"I never knew Muggle clothes could be this pretty," Parvati Patil declared on the night of the ball, holding up the pink satin gown her mother had sent her.

"They do look better than our dress robes," Ginny conceded. "Don't you think, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. She had gone to the Gryffindor girls' dormitory to prepare for the ball. "But I still can't understand why Dumbledore wants us to wear Muggle formal clothes."

"Oh, you know Dumbledore," said Lavender Brown with a dismissive wave of her hand, "he's a bit mad. Wow, Hermione, is that your gown?" The Head Girl was carefully holding up one of the most beautiful dresses ever made. Lavender and Parvati oohed and ahhed over it.

For a while the girls were too busy changing to talk, but when they had all finished, they started an argument.

"Come on, Hermione, makeup will do you a load of good," Lavender persisted.

"Even just a sweep of blush and some lip gloss," wheedled Parvati.

Hermione was slowly backing away from them. "I am not putting any of that stuff on my face. What if I'm allergic or something?"

"No, you aren't," Ginny declared. "Look at us!"

Well, Hermione had to admit that her three friends looked gorgeous, but still…

"You want to look your prettiest for Ron, don't you?" Lavender asked, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"No, for Draco," Hermione replied without thinking.

During the stunned, uncomprehending silence that ensued, Hermione actually considered pulling out her wand and casting Memory Charms on them.

Parvati was the first to speak, and when she did so, it was in a strangled voice. "Um… are you talking about Draco Malfoy? _The _Draco Malfoy?"

"YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON DRACO MALFOY?" Lavender and Ginny yelled at the same time.

"No, I do not!" Hermione snapped, blushing furiously. "Don't be ridiculous! I hate him! He's been nothing but a pain in the neck ever since our first year."

"Then why would you want to look your prettiest for him?" Parvati challenged.

Hermione put on what she hoped was an uncaring expression. "Oh, that," she said breezily with a confidence she did not feel, "that was nothing. I really meant to say 'for Ron' but… you know how it is. I mean, it's hard to ignore a guy you've been sharing the same common room with for months."

Three pairs of eyes stared at her intently and skeptically for what seemed like hours. At last, Hermione caved in and told them the entire story, starting from the train ride back to school, and ending with the kiss. However, she left out the parts about the scars on Draco's back and his intention of becoming a Death Eater.

Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny were staring at her with varying degrees of shock on their faces by the time she finished.

"This does not, of course, mean that I like him," Hermione informed them haughtily. "We just kissed--- that's all." Something inside her protested; something practically screamed that she had feelings for him… Why else would she want him to be her date to the Yule Ball? Why else couldn't she put that tender, earthshaking kiss out of her mind?

"He… kissed you?" Parvati squeaked.

Hermione nodded miserably. Then they were suddenly clustered around her, bombarding her with questions.

"What was it like?"

"Is he a good kisser?"

"What did you do afterwards?"

"He's got really nice lips, don't you think?"

"I must admit that Malfoy _is _hot, but his attitude definitely needs some improving…"

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Hermione bellowed. In the end, she grudgingly agreed to put on some makeup. "But only lip gloss and blush!" she warned the girls.

"You need foundation, too!" argued Parvati. "Why don't you let us decide? Our dates can wait."

"They've been waiting for practically hours," Hermione reminded her.

Parvati shrugged. "Well, they can just wait some more." Lavender and Ginny nodded their agreement, and began working. After what seemed like an eternity of fussing, Parvati announced that Hermione was ready.

"Malfoy will be powerless to take his eyes off you," Ginny announced proudly.

Hermione stared at herself in the mirror, unable to believe it. They had used a light blush that gave her cheeks a rosy glow. There was just the slightest hint of shimmering color on her eyelids, and her full lips were tinged with a sweet pink gloss. _I look different, _she thought in amazement. _I look beautiful…_

And, somehow, despite her repeated statements that she did not like Malfoy, she found herself wishing he would notice.

As it turned out, Draco did more than notice. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He'd shown up without a partner--- what was the use of it anyway? As Crabbe and Goyle, who unsurprisingly didn't have any dates, crammed food into their mouths, not even bothering to chew, Draco pretended to be idly watching the couples on the dance floor.

But all he was looking at, all he could see, was Hermione.

She looked incredible tonight. Her hair was twisted up in an elegant bun, leaving a few strands loose to frame her face. She was clad in a dreamy gown made of pale lavender satin, embroidered with sparkling silver thread. Wait--- was she wearing makeup? He squinted, but he really couldn't tell.

Ron whispered something in her ear as they danced together. She laughed and pinched his cheek. He grinned at her like a lovesick fool.

Draco was suddenly overcome with the desire to kill Weasley. That redheaded git who didn't have a single Sickle to his name wasn't good enough for her. _I ought to tear him up limb from limb…_

Suddenly, he frowned. What the _hell _was he thinking? Surely he didn't have a crush on the Mudblood!

Did he?

A strange, gasping sound interrupted Draco's train of thought. He glared at his two friends with annoyance. "What is that infernal racket?"

Crabbe was clutching his neck and coughing. Draco realized he was choking and was wondering whether to save him or just let the ignorant buffoon die when Goyle slapped Crabbe's back. The blow dislodged the particle stuck in the latter's throat, but Crabbe was furious because Goyle had hit him. They argued with each other loudly and stupidly.

"Why did you hit me?"

"You were choking!"

"So how come you hit me? You can't stop a person from choking by hitting him! What kind of a cure is that?"

"I hit you and you stopped choking, didn't you? You should be thankful!"

"Why the bloody hell should I be thankful? You hit me!"

"You were choking!"

_I've had enough of this nonsense, _Draco decided with an inaudible growl. He stood up abruptly, just as the music changed and a lively song filled the Great Hall. The students whooped and clapped, and soon everyone was dancing rather wildly. Including Hermione. God, she was a great dancer! So graceful, zesty, and full of life… His eyes narrowed in determination and he sauntered to the dance floor.

"I love this song!" Ron shouted over the music, doing some sort of complicated two-step that looked very funny.

Hermione giggled and attempted to imitate him. Soon they were doing the craziest steps they could think of.

"What about this?" Harry asked, breaking into what Hermione recognized as the…

"You dance like a bloody chicken!" Ron bellowed.

"That's the point! It's called the chicken dance!"

"You'll be doing the pig dance, next!"

Ginny burst into laughter. Ron turned to Hermione and grabbed her hands, then whirled her around in time to the music. She slid from his grasp and twirled in a circle, feeling reckless and carefree… when she slammed into a very pleasantly-scented brick wall.

Strong arms reached out and grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. She looked up into a pair of familiar grayish-blue eyes. "Malfoy…" she breathed.

He smirked at her. "Granger." He looked so handsome in his Muggle tuxedo. _They should make a law against that, _she thought. _Something like, the Ministry of Magic hereby prohibits Draco Malfoy from wearing Muggle suits, because he is too damned irresistible in them. _Her lips curved in a small, amused smile. As if he would ever obey it.

The music changed again. Hermione panicked when she realized the next song was a slow one.

Ron stepped up to them, glaring at Draco malevolently. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

Draco gave him a cold look. "That's none of your business, Weasley."

"You're holding my partner, so that pretty much makes it my business, don't you think?"

"Actually, no."

Ron looked murderous. Apparently sensing trouble, Seamus Finnigan appeared and dragged him away, chattering inanely about how delicious the cookies were and how Ron had to have a taste of it.

Grateful for the avoidance of a scene, Hermione vowed she would never, ever refuse to let Seamus copy her homework again.

"May I have this dance?" Draco drawled. It was the moment she had dreamed about, wished for with all her heart. There was no denying it--- she had a crush on him.

She felt like screaming, _Yes, yes! _but somehow she was able to keep her composure and give a barely perceptible nod. He immediately placed his hands on her waist, and she wound her arms loosely around his neck. As they swayed to the romantic song, she felt as if she would drown in the grayish-blue pools of his eyes. She could stay like this forever.

_Damn it, what's wrong with me? _Draco cursed himself, uncomfortably aware of the wild beating of his heart. What was it about this girl that affected him so much? His gaze slid to her lips and he remembered the first kiss they had shared, a kiss that was gentle yet passionate and had left him wanting more. She'd tasted like sweet honey…

He leaned down and Hermione knew he was going to kiss her. She forgot about everyone else. She was deaf to the whispers spreading like wildfire, blind to the stares of shock as the students and teachers witnessed something they thought they would never see--- sworn enemies, a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, pureblood and Muggle-born, dancing together like it was the most natural thing in the world. But Hermione no longer cared about what they were all thinking. All that mattered was Draco…

Suddenly there was a loud bang as some invisible force blasted apart the doors of the Great Hall. The magical moment evaporated quickly as students and teachers alike screamed and pulled out their wands.

A/N: In the next installment, we learn more about the unexpected interruption. Sorry for the cliffie, but I'm just too tired to type anymore. Not lazy, just plain tired. I've been typing for nearly the whole day… besides, _Miss Congeniality _is on HBO… Hehehe…

See you next time! =)


	7. Chapter Seven

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket

Disclaimer: Miss J.K. Rowling owns all the characters, settings, and situations you recognize from the _Harry Potter _series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: I am rushing to finish posting this story before my parents whisk me off to Bohol--- another Internet-free zone. Sorry I can't name those who reviewed the previous chapter; my e-mail is not working, but thank you so much for letting me know what you think.

Here's Chapter Seven. WARNING: It gets considerably darker from here. Don't forget to review! Ü

Chapter Seven

"What's going on?" Hermione whispered.

Draco frowned. He had a very bad feeling, a feeling of foreboding…

In the entrance to the Great Hall stood several tall, imposing figures clad in black robes. The hoods hid their faces, but Draco knew who they were. _The Death Eaters…_

Albus Dumbledore got up from his place at the table and placed himself in front of the intruders, as if shielding his students and staff from harm. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked in a deceptively calm voice, but his blue eyes were gleaming with fury. "How did you get into my school?"

"We meet again, Dumbledore," rasped a cold voice that sent chills down everyone's spine. The hooded figure in the center raised his wand and his words echoed throughout the entire hall. _"Avada Kedavra!"_

There was a blinding flash of green light, a swift, rushing sound of something swooping through the air, and then Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, thought by some as the greatest wizard who ever lived, lay spread-eagled on the floor, completely still and silent. He was dead.

There was a stunned silence. Draco, who still hadn't let go of Hermione, felt her shaking. His heartbeat was also a little unsteady. He had never really liked the barny old codger, but still…

The Death Eaters laughed maniacally and slowly began removing their hoods. Draco recognized his father… Crabbe… Goyle… Pettigrew… Avery… MacNair… Nott… and many others. The figure in the center was the last to remove his hood, and as he did so, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. A white face with livid scarlet eyes, a nose that was as flat as a snake… The Dark Lord had returned.

Total pandemonium ensued as everyone realized that their old protector had been killed by none other than Lord Voldemort himself. There were shrieks, screams, sobs, and soon mostly everyone was running around trying to get away as soon as possible.

Except for the Slytherins, who had walked over to the Death Eaters and were now helping them subdue the panicked teachers and students.

Draco saw his father look around as if searching for him. His mind and body was at a total standstill. For the first time in his life, he was filled with doubt. Should he go over there and join them?

_Of course you should, you idiot! _his logical inner voice snapped at him. _This is what you want!_

_Is it? _he wondered. _But what about Hermione?_

Hermione! Draco realized with a start that she was no longer in his arms. He felt a flutter of panic as he searched for her amidst the throng, and then he caught sight of a flash of red hair disappearing inside one of the alcoves that were on each side of the hall. He knew that wherever Weasley was in times of trouble, Hermione was sure to be.

Odd, but as he rushed over to the alcove, he had never been so glad to see Ron Weasley in all his life.

"Harry, you've got to get away from here," Hermione was whispering urgently. "You-Know-Who will kill you as soon as he sees you!"

Harry shook his head. "I can't leave you all here! He murdered Dumbledore!" His emerald green eyes were filled with sadness--- and rage. "I've got to fight him."

"Are you daft?" roared Ron, shaking him by the shoulders. "He's surrounded by his Death Eaters!"

"I beat him more than once," said Harry stubbornly, "and I can beat him again."

"Not this time," Hermione declared. "Harry, listen to us. You aren't ready. You're not strong enough to take him head on--- not yet! But there'll come a time when you _will _be ready. And then you can defeat him."

"But you've got to live first," Ron joined in.

"What about you?" Harry questioned.

"We'll be fine!" Hermione insisted. She pointed her wand at a locked door and whispered, _"Alohomora!" _The door sprang open. "This is a direct path to Hogsmeade," she said, answering the two boys' questioning looks. "Fred and George told me about it after their graduation, but warned me never to use it unless it was extremely important."

Ron practically pushed Harry through the door. "Now go, before someone catches you! Go to Sirius--- no, wait, that's impossible because you don't know where he is--- go to my parents! They'll help you out."

Harry knew he had no choice. "I'll see the two of you soon," he promised fervently, giving them both quick hugs. Then he was gone.

Hermione's hand shook as she locked the door again. Ron, she noticed, also looked a little uneasy. "What do we do now?" he asked her.

"We fight. What else is there to do?"

"For one thing, you can get your butts out of here," said a very familiar voice.

She and Ron whirled around. Draco stood in the entrance to the alcove, his arms crossed in front of his chest. His face betrayed absolutely no emotion.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron demanded bitterly. "Shouldn't you be joining your friends in terrorizing us helpless students? I suppose you're looking for Harry, eh? Have you got orders from that slimy git you call your master to kill Harry on sight?"

"You're trying to be brave, Weasley, but you still can't say Voldemort's name, which is absolutely pathetic. No, I am not looking for Potter--- besides, the Dark Lord wants to be the one to finish him off."

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" hissed a scary voice. Hermione thought the Death Eater who had come up behind Draco was an older version of Vincent Crabbe--- his father, no doubt. "Found Potter's friends, have you, boy?"

Draco whipped his wand out of his robes and yelled, _"Stupefy!" _The man fell to the floor with a loud grunt. Ron and Hermione stared first at the Stunned man, then at the boy who had Stunned him.

Ron's mouth was hanging wide open. "Did you just--- did he just---?" He turned to Hermione, sounding like he was about to faint.

"I can't believe it, either," muttered Hermione. She watched as Draco pointed his wand at a portion of the wall. "What are you going to---"

_"Disintegratia!"_ The wall exploded, sending bits of wood flying everywhere, revealing a staircase that seemed to go on forever.

"It leads to the Astronomy Tower," Draco informed them. "Come on, let's go."

"Give us one good reason why we should trust you," said Ron, purple-faced. "We don't even know which side you're on."

"I stunned Crabbe, didn't I?" Draco reminded him impatiently.

"That could be part of some plot to win our trust! You're going to lead us into a trap and then force us to tell you where Harry is!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Weasley, I do hope you realize how very idiotic you sound. If you don't believe me, fine. Stay here and get killed. But Hermione's coming with me."

"No, I'm not!" Hermione exclaimed. Her brown eyes were filled with determination. "I'm not going to hide. My friends are out there. I have to fight with them."

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," sneered Draco. He grabbed her hand and added, "But I'm not letting you go rushing stupidly and suicidally into danger, which you and your friends seem to be so fond of doing."

"You're a bloody coward!" she yelled at him as he pulled her none-too-gently up the stairs. Ron blinked, apparently deciding what to do, when suddenly---

_"Petrificus Totalus!"_

Hermione screamed and Draco let out a loud curse as the full Body-Bind hit Ron. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on the floor, stiff as a board. Draco didn't see the Death Eater who did it, because he had already lifted Hermione in his arms and was running up the stairs as fast as his legs could take him. When they reached the Astronomy Tower, he was out of breath.

He deposited Hermione down on the cold stone floor, then sat beside her. They were completely silent, until she asked, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Help us. I thought you were going to be a Death Eater."

"I thought so, too, actually, but I changed my mind." He spoke nonchalantly, as if he was talking about the weather instead of turning away from his destiny, the destiny that had been planned for him before he was even born.

"What made you change your mind?"

He closed his eyes for a second, wondering whether to tell her the truth. At last, he said simply, "You."

"Me?" She sounded incredulous.

"Yeah. You."

"Draco…" She reached out and touched his cheek.

It was too much. He pulled her to him and kissed her with all the passion in his veins, trying to convey the swirl of feelings and strange emotions she aroused in him through something that meant more than words. Her mouth was so warm and sweet… the best thing he had ever tasted…

"You might want to decontaminate yourself afterwards, Draco," said a high, cold voice. "Kissing spreads germs… and you're kissing a filthy Mudblood, no less."

They broke apart and stared at the intruder. Lord Voldemort stood at the entrance to the tower, his wand pointed straight at them.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

A/N: I promise that this is the last cliffhanger. If all goes well, this fic will be finished by the end of April. Until the next chappie, bye! =)


	8. Chapter Eight

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket

Disclaimer: Miss J.K. Rowling owns everything you recognize from the _Harry Potter _series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: Eeeeh! I can't believe this is already the second to the last chapter! I've decided to name all those who reviewed in my next post--- a.k.a the last! I hope you enjoy this one, and please don't hesitate to give me your opinions and constructive criticism.

Chapter Eight

There was a blinding flash of green light, and that strange, rushing sound. Hermione knew the curse was headed straight for her and she squeezed her eyes shut, wondering what it would be like to die.

_"Anghelis Incantatem!" _Her eyes flew open as the familiar voice called out the countercurse. The room was suddenly filled with an unearthly bluish glow. A strange shimmering blue mist appeared in front of Hermione. The green light shot straight through it and disappeared.

"NO!" Voldemort yelled in outrage as the blue glow slowly faded away.

Draco was standing up, leaning against the wall, smirking lazily at the wizard he had once considered his master.

Hermione had always thought the Killing Curse was completely unstoppable. She combed her memory for Anghelis Incantatem, and then recalled it from a sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. _"Anghelis Incantatem, the spell that can block any Dark curse, provided that the one who uses it is very powerful and is protecting something he believes in or someone he loves…"_

"So," Voldemort hissed, staring at Draco angrily, "you have chosen the Light… the weak side…"

Draco returned his gaze. He was the only one among the Slytherins who was able to look directly into those flaming red eyes without quivering in fear. He nodded.

The Dark Lord's bloodless lips curved in a gruesome parody of a smile. "What a waste… You could have been great, you know… You could have conquered the world… But you choose to throw it all away on this Mudblood… Come, Draco, let us duel."

"Duel?" Draco repeated calmly, raising an eyebrow.

"It is the only way I will let you die an honorable death."

"I can beat the pants off you anytime," Draco replied carelessly.

Hermione almost fainted. How could he still manage to be so arrogant at a time like this?

Voldemort laughed. "Big words for such a young man. After I'm through with you, I will take great pleasure in torturing your little _friend."_

Draco stepped forward, but Hermione clutched at the sleeve of his robes. "You can't do this," she said. "You've no hope of defeating him! He'll kill you!"

Draco had surmised as much. He didn't have a chance in hell of winning against the most powerful wizard who ever lived, but he had to protect Hermione. She was important to him in a way he couldn't explain.

"It's odd, isn't it?" he asked her in an almost amused tone of voice. "A few months ago I wouldn't have done this even if you paid me a million Galleons, but now… now I think I can identify with Potter's mother. She obviously came to the same conclusion I did."

"And what's that?" Hermione demanded.

"That some people are worth dying for."

It was the closest Draco Malfoy had ever come to saying _I love you _in his entire life.

Hermione was practically frozen with fear as she watched Voldemort and Draco bow, never taking their eyes off each other.

And then the action began.

_"Crucio!" _cried the Dark Lord.

Draco did some sort of complicated hand movement with his wand and the spell was miraculously blocked. Voldemort's eyes narrowed and he yelled, _"Finitus!"_

_"Morbul!"_

_"Rindante!"_

_"Delirio!"_

_"Venomi Caven!"_

Draco sucked in his breath sharply as the Bleeding Spell hit him on the shoulder. He felt warm blood trickling down his arm.

Voldemort grinned. "That hurt, didn't it?"

"Like a mosquito bite," Draco retorted. _"Zoratius!" _The Dark Lord howled out in pain as he was knocked backwards and thrown against the wall.

This was without a doubt the most exciting duel Hermione had ever seen. The two contenders were using Dark curses, curses that were punishable by imprisonment in Azkaban. It was hard to tell who was winning. It was then that Hermione clasped her hands together and prayed as fervently as she had never prayed before. She had never been good at it, and she couldn't remember a single prayer her mother had taught her, so she simply ended up begging. _Please let Draco be okay… Dear God, please let him live…_

_"Pyros Inflamarrae!"_

Draco was instantly surrounded by a circle of leaping flames that were closing in on him as each second passed. _"Hydraliathan!" _A thick stream of foamy turquoise liquid gushed out from his wand and doused the fire.

"You fight well, Draco," Voldemort said. It wasn't a compliment, merely a fact.

Draco tilted his head in a gesture that seemed to combine both respect and mockery. "I had one of the best teachers--- you."

"Hmm." Voldemort's lip curled and he raised his wand again.

Draco knew there was only one way to defeat the Dark Lord. The All-Holy Charm. He had come across it in a book in the library last week, while doing research for a Study of Ancient Runes essay, and had memorized it, just in case. It was a spell that could vanquish the most evil of foes, but if you weren't strong enough, or if you didn't do it properly, it would suck out all your strength and pour it into your enemy. He wasn't sure he was willing to take the chance.

He glanced at Hermione and realized she was praying. For him.

No one had ever prayed for him before, except for his mother.

_I have to risk it, _he decided, stepping aside just in time to avoid another spell. Voldemort was starting to lose his patience.

_"Crucio!" _Before Draco could block it, he had been hit by the Cruciatus Curse. The pain was so intense… he felt like white-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to split apart… but he wasn't screaming, merely gasping in pain. He never screamed.

Somewhere he heard Hermione's choked sob, mingling with Voldemort's cruel, triumphant laugh. It was now or never. Draco raised his wand, pointing it straight at the Dark Lord.

"Airel daimine airel daiminen…" 

It was difficult to talk, because whenever he opened his mouth he felt like giving in to the urge to scream.

"Levniath krystalis golemn…" 

The pain was becoming unbearable. Gathering the last vestiges of his willpower and strength, he forced the last line from his mouth.

"Airel daimine demonis incantatem!" 

A stream of bubbles and light emerged from the tip of his wand. The room was suddenly infused with all the colors of the rainbow. And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air… phoenix song… the sound of hope, of all things pure and holy… Had the charm actually worked?

The bubbles wafted lazily to where Voldemort was standing, then they encircled him. He looked astonished, even a little fearful. "What magic is this?" he roared.

"Old magic," Draco heard Hermione whisper. Then he noticed that the pain was gone… he was no longer under the Cruciatus Curse…

The Dark Lord shrieked as the semi-transparent, rainbow-hued bubbles slowly whirled around him in a downward spiral motion. He appeared to be slowly fading… the midnight black of his robes was turning into pearl gray… his flaming red eyes had lightened to pale pink… and then he let out another terrible moan, as he writhed and flailed and was torn apart by shards of golden light that originated from his chest. There was another blinding flash that filled the room, and then--- the phoenix song stopped abruptly. Voldemort was gone.

Draco pushed himself to a sitting position, his heart pounding madly, practically slamming against his ribcage. _I did it, _he thought, dazed. _I defeated the Dark Lord…_

And then Hermione threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. He embraced her tightly, inhaling the sweet floral scent of her beautiful hair.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. Every muscle in his body was aching, he was all hot and sweaty, and his hair was probably seriously messed up, but she was safe--- that was all that mattered. "I am."

A/N: All the spells mentioned here, except for the Killing Curse and the Cruciatus Curse, are my own creations. The next and final insallment--- all loose ends are wrapped up, declarations of love are made, you all know the drill. ;-)


	9. Chapter Nine

Someone Worth Dying For

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Anuket

Disclaimer: Miss J.K. Rowling owns everything you recognize from the _Harry Potter _series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: This is the last chapter of the first story I've ever published on the Net. *sniff* Thanks are at the end, folks, and please don't forget to review!

Chapter Nine

When they went back to the Great Hall, they discovered that all the Death Eaters were gone. Hermione was so happy to see Ron alive and well that she flung herself on him, and Draco was hard-pressed not to punch him in the face from sheer jealousy.

"Dean Thomas found me and, luckily, he knew the countercuse," Ron said when he was questioned about how he had managed to recover from the Body-Bind. "And then I decided to, you know, fight with the others. It was the most amazing thing, really, because just when we thought we were dead meat, the Death Eaters suddenly started screaming and then they just burst into flames and, I dunno, _disappeared. _I didn't see You-Know-Who, though. Reckon he's escaped."

"Life Bind," muttered Draco.

Hermione and Ron stared at him. "What?" they said at the same time.

"This summer, the Death Eaters underwent a ceremony called the Life Binding Ritual," he explained. "They bound their existence into the Dark Lord. This made him very powerful, but once he died, so would they." He wasn't sorry at all about the death of his father. At least his mother would be spared the pain of further beatings.

"Hang on a minute--- _died? _So You-Know-Who's _dead _already?" Ron couldn't believe it. "What, Harry came back or something? Where is he?" He searched the Hall frantically, as if expecting to see his best friend appear any second.

"Ron, Harry didn't kill him," Hermione said. "Draco did."

The redhead blinked. "Draco? Who's he?"

"Malfoy, you dolt!"

"DRACO MALFOY KILLED YOU-KNOW-WHO?" Ron yelled. The entire Hall went silent and Hermione felt all eyes on the three of them.

Draco sneered. "It's kind of unbelievable, isn't it? Imagine, someone other than famous, fantastic Harry Potter saves the day! Who would have ever thought that could actually happen?"

Ron gaped at him.

Whispers and exclamations broke out like little hissing fires. Before long, the Great Hall was buzzing. "You-Know-Who's dead!" "Malfoy killed him!" "_The _Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione glanced at the small cluster of Slytherins. They looked utterly shocked. Some were glaring at Draco as if they wanted to strangle him.

Ron cleared his throat. "Ahem, I guess we all owe you one, Malfoy," he said, obviously uncomfortable. He put out his hand. "So… truce? I mean, not that I'm saying we become the best of friends or anything," he added in a rush, "but… well, since you got rid of You-Know-Who, I guess you aren't such a slimy git after all."

Draco looked down at the offered hand, his expression completely indecipherable. Hermione had a sinking feeling he was going to spit on it, but then--- wonder of all wonders--- he clasped Ron's hand and shook it.

And so ended a war that had gone on for years, starting from their very first year at Hogwarts.

It was a Saturday morning. Rose petals rained down from the ceiling, on the students and teachers assembled inside the Great Hall. The air was sweet with the scent of flowers, and a band of wizards clad solemnly in black played a poignant, haunting melody that brought tears to nearly everyone's eyes.

They were having a memorial service for those who had died in the attack.

Hermione stood between Harry and Ron, their arms linked to each other's. Harry had come back only last night, after spending two days at the Burrow. He and Draco had made their peace, but were not really friends. It was, after all, hard to forget six years of hostility and competition.

_Where is Draco, anyway? _Hermione wondered, looking around. She spotted him leaning against a wall, away from the rest of the crowd. He looked so cool and unaffected, with his hands in his pockets. She was debating whether to go to him or not, when the music stopped. Professor McGonagall, the new Headmistress of Hogwarts, stood up.

"Last Christmas, and the days that followed it, was a particularly trying time for all of us." McGonagall actually sounded a little teary. "Not only did we have to work extra hard to repair the damage caused to our school, but we also lost some of our dear friends and our beloved Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore." There were a few audible sniffs from the relatively quiet throng.

"And now," her voice shook but she managed to continue, "now I will read to you the names of those who died, so that we may remember them always." Professor Flitwick handed her what seemed like a very long scroll of parchment. The music started again, but this time much softer, so that everyone could hear clearly the names being read off the scroll.

"From Hufflepuff House… Susan Bones, Ernie Macmillan, and Justin Finch-Fletchley…" Most of the Hufflepuffs broke down into sobs and hugged each other. Harry blinked back the tears that were forming in his emerald green eyes. He, Justin, and Ernie had become quite good friends ever since second year.

"Ravenclaw… Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst…" More sobs, as the Ravenclaws pulled out handkerchiefs and tried unsuccessfully to muffle their cries.

"Slytherin… Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle…" There were no tears from the Slytherins. After all, each of them only cared about him or herself. Hermione glanced back at Draco and was astonished to see that he looked stricken. She had always assumed he didn't give a damn about his two goons. _But then again, you assumed a lot of things about him, and you turned out to be wrong, _she told herself.

"Gryffindor…" It was here that McGonagall paused the longest. She looked like she was about to cry, and had difficulty dragging the words out due to her shaky breaths. "Lavender Brown… Parvati Patil… Seamus Finnigan… Neville Longbottom…"

Tears streamed down Hermione's face. Lavender and Parvati, her two closest girl friends, and Seamus… jolly Seamus… She instantly regretted the times she'd refused to help him do his homework because she told him he needed to learn how to do it himself… and Neville! Ginny had told her about how he had tried to stop two Death Eaters from hurting Parvati. Hermione's shoulders shook from the force of her sobs. She, Harry, and Ron embraced each other tightly, mourning the loss of their friends, of Dumbledore, of the days when life had been so simple, innocent, and carefree, before being overshadowed by death.

Draco was in a rather subdued mood when he walked back to his common room. Pansy had told him how Crabbe and Goyle died… how they had gotten caught in a crossfire between the Death Eaters and Hogwarts teachers.

_Bloody stupid idiots, can't do anything right without me, _he thought, feeling an unfamiliar wetness in his eyes. Damn it, he was not going to cry! And especially not for those two buffoons.

_"Know-it-All Ferret," _he muttered, stopping in front of the tapestry on the wall. It slid open and he entered the common room.

Hermione was sitting on the couch, staring into the flickering fire. His breath caught in his throat as he realized, for the thousandth time, how lovely she was.

"Hey," he said softly, sitting down beside her.

She looked at him and gave him a teary smile. "Hey. How are you holding up?"

He shrugged. "As well as can be expected. You?"

"Not so good," she admitted. "Lavender and Parvati… Seamus and Neville…" She started crying again. He figured he ought to let her cry, even though it was disconcerting him, and awkwardly placed his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm so--- sorry," she sniffed after a while. "I've been doing an awful lot of crying lately. It's not like me at all… I just can't help it…"

"Well, it's not every year you share a common room with your worst enemy and your friends get killed by the most evil wizard who ever lived," he said in a lame attempt to sound humorous. "If I was a girl, I'd cry, too."

She glared at him through her tears. "How can you even try to _joke _at a time like this? And what do you mean by, if you were a girl…?"

"I'm just saying that boys don't cry."

Harry and Ron and nearly every boy was crying awhile ago!"

"Well, I meant boys who were _really _boys, if you get what I mean." _Devil take it, Malfoy, why the bloody hell are you doing this? Why are you provoking her?_

"You git," she whispered, a soft whisper that escalated into a shout. "You cold-blooded, arrogant, heartless git!" She got up and was about to leave the room when he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her back. She resisted. It was a furious tug of war, but in the end, he managed to pin her down on the couch. Her brown eyes glared daggers at him.

Draco absentmindedly ran his finger along the smooth, graceful curve of her jawline. "Is git _all _you can ever call me?" he teased her.

Hermione wanted to slap him, but she couldn't, so she comforted herself by screaming an unholy blasphemy in his face. Draco chuckled. "Very good. It sounds nicer than git, don't you think?"

"And infinitely more suitable for _you," _she hissed.

He didn't bother to give a scathing retort. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her. Her gasp of surprised outrage turned into a blissful sigh as she closed her eyes and slipped her arms around his neck. His hands encircled her waist, and pure pleasure flooded through her veins. Henry VIII and Victoria looked at one another, nodded in mutual agreement, and discreetly left their frames to give the two some privacy.

_This is what it should be like, _Hermione thought to herself as Draco deepened the kiss. Nothing had ever been so right, so absolutely perfect, than being in his arms. He kissed her, not with mad desire or passion, but with an exquisite gentleness, a sweet longing, that felt almost like…

"I love you, Draco," she whispered against his lips.

Draco stopped and placed his head on her shoulder. His heart was beating madly. Her ardent declaration had startled him.

All he wanted was to hold her and never let her go. Whenever he was near her, his head started spinning and his heart pounded madly, although he tried hard not to show it. She had caused him to question everything he'd believed in, caused him to struggle against the lessons and morals his father had hammered into him while he was growing up. He thought she was beautiful; he admired her spirit, her courage, her compassion, and her wit. The slow heat of a strange emotion consumed his heart and soul, rendering him totally speechless.

Somewhere along the way he'd fallen for Hermione Granger. He'd never been in love before, never had time for such nonsense… but now that he was finally experiencing it, he wasn't sure he liked it very much. His mind was in turmoil and his senses and feelings were waging war against each other. Ugh. _And people actually write books and poems about how wonderful this thing is? They must be nuts._

"Do you?" she asked softly.

"Do I what?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Do you love me too?"

He was silent for a while, sensing the vulnerability and fear of rejection in her voice. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to just say yes and get it over with, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.

Draco looked into her warm brown eyes. She smiled at him and he sucked in his breath.

Suddenly, falling in love didn't seem like such a bad idea, after all.

He leaned down and kissed her again. It was a sweet, heart-melting kiss, one that said _Yes, I love you too _without words. What he felt for her was just too beautiful, too precious, to be sullied by common, ordinary words.

And for Hermione, it was a good enough answer.

The End 

Yes, everyone, "Someone Worth Dying For" is finally finished. I'd like to thank all those who reviewed the previous chapter, namely Dreaming One, Twitch, sakura angel90, Pashmina Fan, DuckyQuackers, SlytherinChiq13, Slone, Nill, CurlyGurly, Rym Poe, trillium, AznGurl, Jen, gamegirl, Casiana, Mione-n-Draco4ever, luvs2party, embattledcurve, Katieshaz, Forge and Gred r hott, ibebe-x33, Camryndale, Erriy, Aindel, RiTaFeLToNo4o5, RedHot911, hobbit shortness, Lil' Fairy, Alethia, arianna, sweetangel6749, Len, 'div, Kate, b0ing, Mrin, and DiOsA4u.

This fic is dedicated to all my friends, especially Kyra (who inspired me to write my own Harry Potter stories), J-me and Alexie (who reviewed!), the other members of T Basse, Jenny, and Macy (who thinks Draco's head looks like a hard-boiled egg, but… I love you anyway! ^_~)

All those who have read my story, even if you didn't leave a review--- thank you so much and I hope you liked it! All those who _have _reviewed--- I never would've finished posting this story if it weren't for your encouraging comments,and I never would have improved if it weren't for your constructive criticism. Words are not enough to express my gratitude to all of you.

Well, that's it, then! It's been great… hope you've all enjoyed the ride…

Love,

Anuket

Note to Aindel: I liked Spy Kids 2 also! Gary Giggles was cute, wasn't he? *wink wink*


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